Rewind 2024: Korea’s top 10 culture stories
1. Han Kang's Nobel win
![Han Kang receives the Nobel Prize in Literature on Dec. 11 from the Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf in Stockholm, Sweden. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/12/26/f746e158-7353-4e4c-8dce-2e1b699e8980.jpg)
Han Kang’s Nobel win was arguably 2024’s biggest cause for national celebration.
The announcement, made in October, was largely unexpected. Many in the industry thought that she was too young to receive the award, which recognizes not a single book but the author’s entire career.
The Nobel Committee praised her work for its “intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life.”
Han is the first Asian female author to win the Nobel Prize in Literature and the second Korean to receive a Nobel Prize, following President Kim Dae-jung (1924-2009), who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000.
She is best known for “The Vegetarian,” a poignant 2007 novel about a woman who rejects societal violence by refusing to eat meat. Deborah Smith translated the book into English, and it received the International Booker Prize in 2016.
In December, Han received the Nobel Prize medal and diploma from Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf during the official awards ceremony in Stockholm. Her win was made more meaningful against the backdrop of the Korea’s political turmoil due to President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law declaration a week earlier, which temporarily placed one of Asia’s most vibrant democracies under military rule.
Han accepted the award by saying, "The work of reading and writing literature stands in opposition to all acts that destroy life. I would like to share the meaning of this award, which is for literature, with you, standing here in opposition to violence together.”
2. Jung Woo-sung scandal
![Actor Jung Woo-sung, left, and model Moon Ga-bi [SCREEN CAPTURE]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/12/26/e213ae70-c2c4-4e10-b32f-a6ae3c1bd52a.jpg)
As many were wrapping up 2024, an unexpected piece of news broke out on Nov. 24. Heartthrob Jung Woo-sung is the father of model Moon Ga-bi’s son.
Local media outlet Dispatch reported the news regarding the 51-year-old actor, known for his charming looks and manners, two days after the model uploaded a post of her and her son on Instagram. The post did not disclose the father’s identity.
The actor immediately confirmed that he was the father, which shocked many, as the two were not married nor known to be in a relationship.
Jung also stated that while he would take full responsibility for raising the child, he would not marry the model.
The two were reported to have met for the first time in 2022 at a gathering and kept in touch since then. It was in June last year that Moon became pregnant with Jung’s child.
Jung made his first public appearance at the 45th Blue Dragon Film Awards on Nov. 29 for his film “12.12: The Day,” following the news going public. Much speculation surrounded whether the actor would actually attend the event.
The actor also apologized during an acceptance speech after his film received the Most Popular Film award, saying, "I will accept all the criticism and carry it with me. As a father, I will take full responsibility for my son until the very end."
Since the news, discussions of out-of-wedlock births have risen in the nation, sparking debates over prejudice, societal morals and political bias.
3. HYBE-ADOR versus Min Hee-jin and NewJeans
![Min Hee-jin's first press conference on April 25 [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/12/26/e805cb26-5af7-42a6-804e-1f8b96b12dde.jpg)
It was another year filled with headlines about HYBE — but not all were positive.
The HYBE-ADOR versus Min Hee-jin and NewJeans conflict unfolded as one of the messiest cases in K-pop. The issue turned out to be more than just bickering between the chiefs of the largest company in K-pop, but a complex cocktail of company shares, investors, exclusive contracts and workplace bullying that led to police reports, civil lawsuits and even parliamentary audits.
What began with HYBE attacking Min in April ended up with the five members of NewJeans walking out from their agency ADOR in November and starting their own online activities in December.
HYBE blamed Min for trying to seize control of the company by getting a third-party investor involved. Min claimed that the audit was made in retaliation for pointing out HYBE copied NewJeans to make ILLIT and mistreated NewJeans members. She also claimed that Le Sserafim was the reason that NewJeans’ debut was pushed back, for which she got herself sued by the agencies of both ILLIT and Le Sserafim.
Min handed in her resignation to ADOR in November, soon after which the NewJeans members followed Min out of ADOR and proclaimed that their exclusive contracts with the agency were officially over in an emergency press conference held on the night of Nov. 28.
ADOR on Dec. 3 requested that the court clarify whether NewJeans’ argument was sound.
As of December, Min has been charged with defamation by ILLIT’s agency Belift Lab and Le Sserafim’s agency Source Music, as well as breach of trust by HYBE. Min in turn has reported HYBE’s former CEO, its PR executives and the entertainment outlet Dispatch for defamation. HYBE has also requested a court verify whether it would be legal to break off the shareholder contract with Min and not be obligated to buy Min’s shares of ADOR.
4. 'Culinary Class Wars'
![Netflix's 'Culinary Class Wars″ [NETFLIX]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/12/26/9c88e5bf-fcbd-4ff0-ad1d-ea363d59d9e7.jpg)
Food made its way to the center of this year’s entertainment scene with the release of Netflix’s “Culinary Class Wars.”
The reality show, which ran for three weeks in September and October, pitted the industry’s best professionals, White Spoon chefs, against the underdogs, Black Spoon chefs. It cast a total of 100 chefs from various backgrounds, including fine dining, neighborhood bars and a school cafeteria.
The show ranked No. 1 on the streamer’s global non-English top 10 list for three consecutive weeks and has been confirmed for a second season.
Despite the crude albeit entertaining setup of the show, imagined by producers Kim Hak-min and Kim Eun-ji, “Culinary Class Wars” was applauded for shining a light on the serious and dedicated craft of chefs.
It also boosted sales for the local restaurant industry, which had been battling inflation in a saturated market. Though it is too soon to tell if the show will have a long-term impact on the dining scene as a whole, reservations were — and are in many cases still — full, sometimes for months, at over 100 establishments owned by the show’s participating chefs.
“Culinary Class Wars” also brought newfound fame to some contestants, like Korean American chef Edward Lee, who has closed brand ambassador deals with F&B conglomerates Pulmuone and Maeil Dairies.
Convenience stores have also joined in on the hype, stocking iconic dishes from the show to an enthusiastic consumer response.
The show’s success follows the continuing worldwide interest in Korean food and its rise in status. Most notably, Jungsik New York became the first Korean restaurant abroad to earn three Michelin stars this month.
5. Rosé's 'APT.'
![A promotional image for Rose's ″APT.″ [THE BLACK LABEL]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/12/26/323fc636-eb1d-44e1-bc25-813e46876d42.jpg)
Blackpink’s Rosé released “APT.,” a playful pop dance track made in collaboration with pop star Bruno Mars that took the world by storm thanks to its catchy lyrics and even catchier dance moves.
Released on Oct. 18, “APT.” debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and No. 4 on the Britain's Official Singles Top 100 chart. It hooked the audience's attention immediately upon release and went viral on short-form video platforms, namely TikTok and YouTube Shorts.
The single was part of the singer’s first solo full-length album, “rosie,” released on Dec. 6, which also saw chart success around the world. The album’s lead track, "toxic till the end," debuted at No. 72 on the Official Singles Top 100 chart, giving Rosé two singles on the British chart.
Rosé’s success was joined by G-Dragon's. The stylish K-pop icon from boy band Big Bang also made a much-anticipated comeback this year as a solo artist, seven years after his previous solo EP was released in 2017.
His two electrifying dance tracks, “Power” and “Home Sweet Home,” marked not only the return of one of the greatest artists in K-pop, but also the story of a misunderstood star who was wrongfully accused of illegal drug use. The artist turned that accusation around and founded an antidrug foundation dedicated to teenage addicts.
6. Suga's DUI case
![BTS member Suga arrives for questioning on Aug. 23 over driving an electric scooter under the influence of alcohol in Yongsan District, central Seoul. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/12/26/7bcc1a0d-c1e4-4386-afc3-a2d99615a950.jpg)
The scorching summer wasn’t just sweltering — it left a burn on the hearts of BTS fans as member Suga found himself under investigation.
On Aug. 6, BTS member Suga was found driving an electric scooter under the influence of alcohol in Yongsan District, central Seoul. At the time, he was also fulfilling his mandatory military service as a social service agent. A social service agent is a role that typically involves a regular daily work schedule, allowing him to return home after work hours. His service is set to end in June 2025.
Suga’s blood alcohol level was 0.227 percent when he was caught driving under the influence, high enough to qualify for a revocation of his driver’s license — a punishment imposed from a threshold of 0.08 percent.
The rapper and his agency, BigHit Music, released official apologies the day after the news broke out.
However, the agency came under fire for allegedly attempting to minimize harm in the DUI case. In its initial statement, the agency stated that Suga was driving an electric stand-up scooter instead of a seated electric scooter. The two are classified differently under Korean law, warranting different punishments according to the type of scooter.
The rapper again apologized on Aug. 25 for his actions and for causing confusion regarding the e-scooter. He was fined 15 million won ($10,350) in the case.
7. Tzuyang and the cyber wreckers
![YouTuber Tzuyang with a bruise on her right arm [SCREEN CAPTURE]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/12/26/134706d6-2735-4943-a362-3239441573f8.jpg)
The dark alleys of YouTube, plagued by so-called cyber wreckers, came to light after YouTuber Tzuyang revealed that she had fallen victim to them in a video posted in July. The YouTuber was blackmailed by such perpetrators, who threatened that they would reveal her private life if she did not pay them.
Cyber wreckers are individuals who create content aimed at specific people, often celebrities, to attract viewers and generate income.
Tzuyang, whose legal name is Park Jung-won, shared in her video on July 11 that she had endured four years of mental, physical and financial abuse from her ex-boyfriend, who forced her to work at a hostess bar and give him the earnings. But what infuriated people more were the cyber wreckers, who learned of the news and demanded money from her in exchange for their silence.
Among the names that made headlines in Tzuyang’s case were YouTubers Lee Jun-hee, known as GooJeYeok; Lee Se-wook, known as Caracula; Choi Il-hwan, known as Crocodile and Jeon Guk-jin, who are being tried for intimidation, coercion and extortion.
Lee Jun-hee and Jeon are accused of having extorted 55 million won from Tzuyang in February 2023, and Lee Se-wook and Choi are accused of sharing information about Tzuyang with Lee Jun-hee and persuading him to blackmail her.
Several other celebrities have fallen victim as well, with a notable case involving a YouTuber known as Sojang.
Sojang is accused of posting videos that defame K-pop artists, such as IVE’s Jang Won-young, aespa’s Karina and Kang Daniel. She reportedly earned over 250 million won in profit from this activity.
As a result, the YouTuber was ordered to pay IVE member Jang Won-young 100 million won in damages on Jan. 17 and Kang Daniel 30 million won on Nov. 27. Kang Daniel’s agency, ARA, appealed to the court on Dec. 11, saying, "The punishment is too light given the nature and seriousness of the crime and the mental distress our artist had to suffer."
8. Kang Hyung-wook scandal
![Dog trainer Kang Hyung-wook [JOONGANG ILBO]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/12/26/80b3483f-0efa-4bf9-8eec-857653475e1e.jpg)
Dog trainer Kang Hyung-wook, the disgraced former CEO of the self-established Bodeum Company, was accused of perpetrating workplace abuse that escalated into a police investigation.
The controversy started in May when a one-star review on the company emerged on Job Planet, an online job search and recruiting platform.
The reviewer introduced themselves as a former employee who had “quit and went into therapy due to panic disorder, anxiety and depression.” Kang and his wife had given them non-work-related chores and spied on employees through surveillance cameras and looked at their private messages.
But that review wasn’t the only one to accuse Kang of misconduct. Comments under Kang’s YouTube videos claimed that he made employees “work in extremely cold and hot environments” and that he would “scream” at them.
Kang’s public appearances were subsequently canceled, including an offline event called “Dang Dang Trekking.” The KBS variety program “Dogs Are Wonderful” (2019-), which Kang used to be a host of, was eventually canceled after five years.
Kang and his wife denied that they were abusive employers, but admitted to monitoring employees’ private messages, citing that they saw conversations bad-mouthing their son.
The following month, two former employees of Bodeum Company and some 300 citizens reported Kang and his wife to police for allegedly accessing internal messenger conversations without their consent. Kang stepped down as CEO of Bodeum Company, which terminated all services on its website as of June 30.
In questioning by police in July, Kang reportedly said that his actions were unintentional.
Since then, Kang has been mainly focusing on being a dog trainer, regularly updating his YouTube channel and social media.
9. K-art everywhere
![Installation view of ″Hyundai Commission: Mire Lee: Open Wound″ at Tate Modern [TATE]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/12/26/9a1fbf16-7309-4801-a549-5736bb8a99a6.jpg)
It was an exciting year for the Korean art scene, as several of the nation’s well-respected artists found themselves exhibiting their works abroad in prestigious settings.
The 60th Venice Biennale, under the theme “Foreigners Everywhere,” featured four Korean exhibitions as part of its 30 official collateral events during its run from April to November, from artists Yoo Youngkuk (1916-2000), 68-year-old Lee Bae and Rhee Seundja (1918-2009), as well as the Gwangju Biennale Foundation.
Then in September, 60-year-old Lee Bul became the first Korean artist to be commissioned by The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to create site-specific artworks. Four new installations, with cyborg or crystalline characteristics, are on view at the museum until May 27, 2025.
Mire Lee, 36, was also the first Korean artist to exhibit their work at the Turbine Hall inside Tate Modern in London last October. She debuted a pink, grotesque kinetic installation called “Open Wound,” a representation of “shedding pain and trauma from the Industrial Age,” which will remain at the site until March 16, 2025.
The same month, 53-year-old Haegue Yang kicked off her first major survey show in London at the Hayward Gallery. Titled “Leap Year,” the exhibition looks back at 30 years of the influential artist’s oeuvre that involves household appliances and folk traditions.
Kang Ik-joong, the 64-year-old artist best known for his use of colorful hangul syllable blocks, assembled them to erect the large-scale installation “Four Temples” near the Giza Pyramids in Egypt last October for roughly two weeks. Kang was the first Korean artist to participate in the nation’s annual international art exhibition "Forever is Now."
10. Korea's jang-making culture gets global recognition
![Korea's jang-making tradition was inscribed on Unesco's Intangible Cultural Heritage List on Dec. 4. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/12/26/adac148d-9549-4d70-a1fe-79b37ede9aeb.jpg)
Korea's tradition of making jang, or fermented sauces, was inscribed on Unesco’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list on Dec. 4.
The 19th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage said that the "communal act of jang-making generates a sense of peace and belonging for the communities concerned."
This long-standing tradition has been referred to as at the "start and center" of the country's cuisine. Records show jang being used as far back as the Goguryeo Kingdom (37 B.C.-A.D. 668), according to The Academy of Korean Studies.
There are different types of fermented sauces in Korea - namely ganjang (soy sauce), doenjang (soybean paste) and gochujang.
What distinguishes Korean jang from similar fermented sauces from other Asian countries lies in its unique way of making, which involves creating both doenjang and ganjang from the same meju, or fermented soybean block, and adding new jang to leftover soy sauce from the previous years.
With the new inscription, Korea now holds 23 elements on the Unesco Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
BY YIM SEUNG-HYE [yim.seunghye@joongang.co.kr]
Han Kang receives the Nobel Prize in Literature on Dec. 11 from the Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf in Stockholm, Sweden. [NEWS1]
Han Kang’s Nobel win was arguably 2024’s biggest cause for national celebration.
The announcement, made in October, was largely unexpected. Many in the industry thought that she was too young to receive the award, which recognizes not a single book but the author’s entire career.
The Nobel Committee praised her work for its “intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life.”
Han is the first Asian female author to win the Nobel Prize in Literature and the second Korean to receive a Nobel Prize, following President Kim Dae-jung (1924-2009), who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000.
She is best known for “The Vegetarian,” a poignant 2007 novel about a woman who rejects societal violence by refusing to eat meat. Deborah Smith translated the book into English, and it received the International Booker Prize in 2016.
In December, Han received the Nobel Prize medal and diploma from Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf during the official awards ceremony in Stockholm. Her win was made more meaningful against the backdrop of the Korea’s political turmoil due to President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law declaration a week earlier, which temporarily placed one of Asia’s most vibrant democracies under military rule.
Han accepted the award by saying, "The work of reading and writing literature stands in opposition to all acts that destroy life. I would like to share the meaning of this award, which is for literature, with you, standing here in opposition to violence together.”
2. Jung Woo-sung scandal
Actor Jung Woo-sung, left, and model Moon Ga-bi [SCREEN CAPTURE]
As many were wrapping up 2024, an unexpected piece of news broke out on Nov. 24. Heartthrob Jung Woo-sung is the father of model Moon Ga-bi’s son.
Local media outlet Dispatch reported the news regarding the 51-year-old actor, known for his charming looks and manners, two days after the model uploaded a post of her and her son on Instagram. The post did not disclose the father’s identity.
The actor immediately confirmed that he was the father, which shocked many, as the two were not married nor known to be in a relationship.
Jung also stated that while he would take full responsibility for raising the child, he would not marry the model.
The two were reported to have met for the first time in 2022 at a gathering and kept in touch since then. It was in June last year that Moon became pregnant with Jung’s child.
Jung made his first public appearance at the 45th Blue Dragon Film Awards on Nov. 29 for his film “12.12: The Day,” following the news going public. Much speculation surrounded whether the actor would actually attend the event.
The actor also apologized during an acceptance speech after his film received the Most Popular Film award, saying, "I will accept all the criticism and carry it with me. As a father, I will take full responsibility for my son until the very end."
Since the news, discussions of out-of-wedlock births have risen in the nation, sparking debates over prejudice, societal morals and political bias.
3. HYBE-ADOR versus Min Hee-jin and NewJeans
Min Hee-jin's first press conference on April 25 [NEWS1]
It was another year filled with headlines about HYBE — but not all were positive.
The HYBE-ADOR versus Min Hee-jin and NewJeans conflict unfolded as one of the messiest cases in K-pop. The issue turned out to be more than just bickering between the chiefs of the largest company in K-pop, but a complex cocktail of company shares, investors, exclusive contracts and workplace bullying that led to police reports, civil lawsuits and even parliamentary audits.
What began with HYBE attacking Min in April ended up with the five members of NewJeans walking out from their agency ADOR in November and starting their own online activities in December.
HYBE blamed Min for trying to seize control of the company by getting a third-party investor involved. Min claimed that the audit was made in retaliation for pointing out HYBE copied NewJeans to make ILLIT and mistreated NewJeans members. She also claimed that Le Sserafim was the reason that NewJeans’ debut was pushed back, for which she got herself sued by the agencies of both ILLIT and Le Sserafim.
Min handed in her resignation to ADOR in November, soon after which the NewJeans members followed Min out of ADOR and proclaimed that their exclusive contracts with the agency were officially over in an emergency press conference held on the night of Nov. 28.
ADOR on Dec. 3 requested that the court clarify whether NewJeans’ argument was sound.
As of December, Min has been charged with defamation by ILLIT’s agency Belift Lab and Le Sserafim’s agency Source Music, as well as breach of trust by HYBE. Min in turn has reported HYBE’s former CEO, its PR executives and the entertainment outlet Dispatch for defamation. HYBE has also requested a court verify whether it would be legal to break off the shareholder contract with Min and not be obligated to buy Min’s shares of ADOR.
4. 'Culinary Class Wars'
Netflix's 'Culinary Class Wars″ [NETFLIX]
Food made its way to the center of this year’s entertainment scene with the release of Netflix’s “Culinary Class Wars.”
The reality show, which ran for three weeks in September and October, pitted the industry’s best professionals, White Spoon chefs, against the underdogs, Black Spoon chefs. It cast a total of 100 chefs from various backgrounds, including fine dining, neighborhood bars and a school cafeteria.
The show ranked No. 1 on the streamer’s global non-English top 10 list for three consecutive weeks and has been confirmed for a second season.
Despite the crude albeit entertaining setup of the show, imagined by producers Kim Hak-min and Kim Eun-ji, “Culinary Class Wars” was applauded for shining a light on the serious and dedicated craft of chefs.
It also boosted sales for the local restaurant industry, which had been battling inflation in a saturated market. Though it is too soon to tell if the show will have a long-term impact on the dining scene as a whole, reservations were — and are in many cases still — full, sometimes for months, at over 100 establishments owned by the show’s participating chefs.
“Culinary Class Wars” also brought newfound fame to some contestants, like Korean American chef Edward Lee, who has closed brand ambassador deals with F&B conglomerates Pulmuone and Maeil Dairies.
Convenience stores have also joined in on the hype, stocking iconic dishes from the show to an enthusiastic consumer response.
The show’s success follows the continuing worldwide interest in Korean food and its rise in status. Most notably, Jungsik New York became the first Korean restaurant abroad to earn three Michelin stars this month.
5. Rosé's 'APT.'
A promotional image for Rose's ″APT.″ [THE BLACK LABEL]
Blackpink’s Rosé released “APT.,” a playful pop dance track made in collaboration with pop star Bruno Mars that took the world by storm thanks to its catchy lyrics and even catchier dance moves.
Released on Oct. 18, “APT.” debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and No. 4 on the Britain's Official Singles Top 100 chart. It hooked the audience's attention immediately upon release and went viral on short-form video platforms, namely TikTok and YouTube Shorts.
The single was part of the singer’s first solo full-length album, “rosie,” released on Dec. 6, which also saw chart success around the world. The album’s lead track, "toxic till the end," debuted at No. 72 on the Official Singles Top 100 chart, giving Rosé two singles on the British chart.
Rosé’s success was joined by G-Dragon's. The stylish K-pop icon from boy band Big Bang also made a much-anticipated comeback this year as a solo artist, seven years after his previous solo EP was released in 2017.
His two electrifying dance tracks, “Power” and “Home Sweet Home,” marked not only the return of one of the greatest artists in K-pop, but also the story of a misunderstood star who was wrongfully accused of illegal drug use. The artist turned that accusation around and founded an antidrug foundation dedicated to teenage addicts.
6. Suga's DUI case
BTS member Suga arrives for questioning on Aug. 23 over driving an electric scooter under the influence of alcohol in Yongsan District, central Seoul. [YONHAP]
The scorching summer wasn’t just sweltering — it left a burn on the hearts of BTS fans as member Suga found himself under investigation.
On Aug. 6, BTS member Suga was found driving an electric scooter under the influence of alcohol in Yongsan District, central Seoul. At the time, he was also fulfilling his mandatory military service as a social service agent. A social service agent is a role that typically involves a regular daily work schedule, allowing him to return home after work hours. His service is set to end in June 2025.
Suga’s blood alcohol level was 0.227 percent when he was caught driving under the influence, high enough to qualify for a revocation of his driver’s license — a punishment imposed from a threshold of 0.08 percent.
The rapper and his agency, BigHit Music, released official apologies the day after the news broke out.
However, the agency came under fire for allegedly attempting to minimize harm in the DUI case. In its initial statement, the agency stated that Suga was driving an electric stand-up scooter instead of a seated electric scooter. The two are classified differently under Korean law, warranting different punishments according to the type of scooter.
The rapper again apologized on Aug. 25 for his actions and for causing confusion regarding the e-scooter. He was fined 15 million won ($10,350) in the case.
7. Tzuyang and the cyber wreckers
YouTuber Tzuyang with a bruise on her right arm [SCREEN CAPTURE]
The dark alleys of YouTube, plagued by so-called cyber wreckers, came to light after YouTuber Tzuyang revealed that she had fallen victim to them in a video posted in July. The YouTuber was blackmailed by such perpetrators, who threatened that they would reveal her private life if she did not pay them.
Cyber wreckers are individuals who create content aimed at specific people, often celebrities, to attract viewers and generate income.
Tzuyang, whose legal name is Park Jung-won, shared in her video on July 11 that she had endured four years of mental, physical and financial abuse from her ex-boyfriend, who forced her to work at a hostess bar and give him the earnings. But what infuriated people more were the cyber wreckers, who learned of the news and demanded money from her in exchange for their silence.
Among the names that made headlines in Tzuyang’s case were YouTubers Lee Jun-hee, known as GooJeYeok; Lee Se-wook, known as Caracula; Choi Il-hwan, known as Crocodile and Jeon Guk-jin, who are being tried for intimidation, coercion and extortion.
Lee Jun-hee and Jeon are accused of having extorted 55 million won from Tzuyang in February 2023, and Lee Se-wook and Choi are accused of sharing information about Tzuyang with Lee Jun-hee and persuading him to blackmail her.
Several other celebrities have fallen victim as well, with a notable case involving a YouTuber known as Sojang.
Sojang is accused of posting videos that defame K-pop artists, such as IVE’s Jang Won-young, aespa’s Karina and Kang Daniel. She reportedly earned over 250 million won in profit from this activity.
As a result, the YouTuber was ordered to pay IVE member Jang Won-young 100 million won in damages on Jan. 17 and Kang Daniel 30 million won on Nov. 27. Kang Daniel’s agency, ARA, appealed to the court on Dec. 11, saying, "The punishment is too light given the nature and seriousness of the crime and the mental distress our artist had to suffer."
8. Kang Hyung-wook scandal
Dog trainer Kang Hyung-wook [JOONGANG ILBO]
Dog trainer Kang Hyung-wook, the disgraced former CEO of the self-established Bodeum Company, was accused of perpetrating workplace abuse that escalated into a police investigation.
The controversy started in May when a one-star review on the company emerged on Job Planet, an online job search and recruiting platform.
The reviewer introduced themselves as a former employee who had “quit and went into therapy due to panic disorder, anxiety and depression.” Kang and his wife had given them non-work-related chores and spied on employees through surveillance cameras and looked at their private messages.
But that review wasn’t the only one to accuse Kang of misconduct. Comments under Kang’s YouTube videos claimed that he made employees “work in extremely cold and hot environments” and that he would “scream” at them.
Kang’s public appearances were subsequently canceled, including an offline event called “Dang Dang Trekking.” The KBS variety program “Dogs Are Wonderful” (2019-), which Kang used to be a host of, was eventually canceled after five years.
Kang and his wife denied that they were abusive employers, but admitted to monitoring employees’ private messages, citing that they saw conversations bad-mouthing their son.
The following month, two former employees of Bodeum Company and some 300 citizens reported Kang and his wife to police for allegedly accessing internal messenger conversations without their consent. Kang stepped down as CEO of Bodeum Company, which terminated all services on its website as of June 30.
In questioning by police in July, Kang reportedly said that his actions were unintentional.
Since then, Kang has been mainly focusing on being a dog trainer, regularly updating his YouTube channel and social media.
9. K-art everywhere
Installation view of ″Hyundai Commission: Mire Lee: Open Wound″ at Tate Modern [TATE]
It was an exciting year for the Korean art scene, as several of the nation’s well-respected artists found themselves exhibiting their works abroad in prestigious settings.
The 60th Venice Biennale, under the theme “Foreigners Everywhere,” featured four Korean exhibitions as part of its 30 official collateral events during its run from April to November, from artists Yoo Youngkuk (1916-2000), 68-year-old Lee Bae and Rhee Seundja (1918-2009), as well as the Gwangju Biennale Foundation.
Then in September, 60-year-old Lee Bul became the first Korean artist to be commissioned by The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to create site-specific artworks. Four new installations, with cyborg or crystalline characteristics, are on view at the museum until May 27, 2025.
Mire Lee, 36, was also the first Korean artist to exhibit their work at the Turbine Hall inside Tate Modern in London last October. She debuted a pink, grotesque kinetic installation called “Open Wound,” a representation of “shedding pain and trauma from the Industrial Age,” which will remain at the site until March 16, 2025.
The same month, 53-year-old Haegue Yang kicked off her first major survey show in London at the Hayward Gallery. Titled “Leap Year,” the exhibition looks back at 30 years of the influential artist’s oeuvre that involves household appliances and folk traditions.
Kang Ik-joong, the 64-year-old artist best known for his use of colorful hangul syllable blocks, assembled them to erect the large-scale installation “Four Temples” near the Giza Pyramids in Egypt last October for roughly two weeks. Kang was the first Korean artist to participate in the nation’s annual international art exhibition "Forever is Now."
10. Korea's jang-making culture gets global recognition
Korea's jang-making tradition was inscribed on Unesco's Intangible Cultural Heritage List on Dec. 4. [YONHAP]
Korea's tradition of making jang, or fermented sauces, was inscribed on Unesco’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list on Dec. 4.
The 19th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage said that the "communal act of jang-making generates a sense of peace and belonging for the communities concerned."
This long-standing tradition has been referred to as at the "start and center" of the country's cuisine. Records show jang being used as far back as the Goguryeo Kingdom (37 B.C.-A.D. 668), according to The Academy of Korean Studies.
There are different types of fermented sauces in Korea - namely ganjang (soy sauce), doenjang (soybean paste) and gochujang.
What distinguishes Korean jang from similar fermented sauces from other Asian countries lies in its unique way of making, which involves creating both doenjang and ganjang from the same meju, or fermented soybean block, and adding new jang to leftover soy sauce from the previous years.
With the new inscription, Korea now holds 23 elements on the Unesco Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
BY YIM SEUNG-HYE [yim.seunghye@joongang.co.kr]
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